Bill > HR1243

This resolution commemorates the 100th anniversary of a historic moment in Texas legal history when Governor Pat Morris Neff appointed an all-female Supreme Court in 1925, which is believed to be among the first of its kind in the United States. The unique court was formed to hear a specific case involving the Woodmen of the World fraternity, after the original male justices were disqualified due to their membership in the organization. Governor Neff appointed three experienced women lawyers: Ruth Virginia Brazzil, Hattie Leah Henenberg, and Hortense Sparks Ward (as chief justice), who were trailblazers in an era when women were typically excluded from jury service and many professional roles. The all-female court, which became a press sensation covered by national media outlets like The New York Times, ultimately ruled unanimously in favor of the Woodmen in May 1925. By passing this resolution, the Texas House of Representatives officially recognizes and celebrates these pioneering women who broke significant gender barriers in the state's judicial system.

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HR1243